OKC. WE’LL WATCH FOR CHANGES. GUYS, BACK OVER TO YOU, JOSEPH. THANKS VERY MUCH. A MASSIVE RESCUE EFFORT IN OKC TODAY AFTER A MAJOR DRUG BUST LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS. AND NOW THE CITY NEEDS YOUR HELP TO MAKE ROOM FOR THEM. OUR KOCO TYLER TRIPODI TALKED WITH THE CITY TODAY. JOINING US LIVE. TYLER. THEY SAY THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED NOW FOR ADOPTIONS. CITY LEADERS TELL ME THE DISCOVERY CAME AFTER POLICE SERVED A SEARCH WARRANT AT THIS HOUSE BEHIND ME HERE. THEY ARRESTED FOUR PEOPLE ON DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES. AND THEN THEY BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER DOZENS OF ANIMALS. THEY CALLED IN ANIMAL WELFARE, AND THAT NUMBER QUICKLY SKYROCKETED. TOTAL NUMBER IS STILL WORKING ON THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW, THE TOTAL NUMBER I HAVE IS ABOUT 523 ANIMALS THAT WE CONFISCATED, OVER 500 ANIMALS SEIZED AFTER A DRUG BUST. OKLAHOMA CITY OFFICIALS TELL ME THAT WHEN ANIMAL CONTROL ARRIVED, THERE WERE PETS EVERYWHERE. WE KEPT DISCOVERING MORE ANIMALS, SOME OF THEM, WHEN WE FIRST GOT THERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF OUTDOOR ANIMALS THAT KIND OF RAN OFF INTO THE WOODS. AND SO WE HAD TO LIKE PEACOCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE HAD TO COME BACK AND GET THOSE. WE JUST KEPT LOOKING AND WE WE FOUND MORE ANIMALS. ROWE SAYS THAT THIS SEIZURE IS LIKELY HISTORIC FOR A SINGLE DAY. I DON’T KNOW THE ACTUAL NUMBER IF THIS IS THE HIGHEST EVER, BUT I WOULD ASSUME IT PROBABLY IS 470 BIRDS, 49 DOGS, CATS, A HORSE, AND EVEN A PEACOCK. WITH THAT MANY ANIMALS CONFISCATED AT ONE TIME, THE CITY SAYS THERE IS NOW AN URGENT NEED FOR ADOPTIONS. WE ARE ALREADY OVER CAPACITY ON OUR OUR DOGS, SO WE HAVE A FREE, NOT FREE, BUT A NAME. YOUR PRICE OF IT RIGHT NOW WHERE WE NEED. WE NEED THE CITIZENS TO SHOW UP, COME OUT AND ADOPT SOME PETS. THE ANIMAL SEIZED AT THE HOME ARE STILL PART OF EVIDENCE, BUT THE CITY NEEDS ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS AT THEIR ALREADY OVERCROWDED SHELTER GONE TO MAKE ROOM. WE NEED PEOPLE TO ADOPT. THAT’S VERY CRITICAL NEED OF THAT RIGHT NOW. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN NAME YOUR OWN PRICE RIGHT NOW. SO THAT’S A THAT’S A VERY GOOD BENEFIT FOR YOU. THE NAME YOUR PRICE EVENT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH JULY 3RD. THE SHELTERS ADOPTION HOURS ARE NOON TO 5 P.M.
Oklahoma City drug bust uncovers over 500 animals, prompting urgent adoption plea
A drug bust in Oklahoma City led to the discovery of over 500 animals, creating a critical need for pet adoptions at the city’s overcrowded shelter
Updated: 6:09 PM CDT Jun 26, 2026
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A drug bust in Oklahoma City uncovered over 500 animals at a single property, leading city officials to call for urgent pet adoptions to alleviate overcrowding at the local shelter. City leaders said the discovery occurred Thursday night when police served a warrant at a house. Four people were arrested on drug trafficking charges, and officers began finding dozens of animals on the property. “Total number is still working on that. But right now, the total number I have is about 523 animals that we confiscated,” Brock Rowe, director of developmental services, said. Animal control officers were called to the scene, where they found pets scattered throughout the property. “We kept discovering more animals. Some of them, when we first got there, there was a lot of outdoor animals that kind of ran off into the woods. And so, we had to, like peacocks and things like that. So we had to come back and get those. We just kept looking, and we found more animals,” Rowe said. WATCH: More than 500 animals seized while police serve drug trafficking warrant at Oklahoma City homeThe seizure included 470 birds, 49 dogs, cats, a horse, and even a peacock. Rowe said the number of animals confiscated in a single day is likely historic. “I don’t know what the number is, but I’m assuming this is probably our highest ever,” Rowe said. With so many animals taken from the property, the city is urging residents to adopt pets from the shelter to make room for the new arrivals. “We are already over capacity on our dogs. So, we have a free, not free, but a name your price event right now where we need. We need the system to show up, come out and have some pets,” Rowe said. The animals seized during the drug bust remain part of the evidence, but the shelter needs to clear space for them by finding homes for other animals. “We need people to adopt pets. Very critical need of that right now. And again, you can name your own price right now. So that’s, that’s a very good benefit for you,” Rowe said. The shelter’s “name your price” adoption event will continue through July 3. Adoption hours are noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
A drug bust in Oklahoma City uncovered over 500 animals at a single property, leading city officials to call for urgent pet adoptions to alleviate overcrowding at the local shelter.
City leaders said the discovery occurred Thursday night when police served a warrant at a house. Four people were arrested on drug trafficking charges, and officers began finding dozens of animals on the property.
“Total number is still working on that. But right now, the total number I have is about 523 animals that we confiscated,” Brock Rowe, director of developmental services, said.
Animal control officers were called to the scene, where they found pets scattered throughout the property.
“We kept discovering more animals. Some of them, when we first got there, there was a lot of outdoor animals that kind of ran off into the woods. And so, we had to, like peacocks and things like that. So we had to come back and get those. We just kept looking, and we found more animals,” Rowe said.
WATCH: More than 500 animals seized while police serve drug trafficking warrant at Oklahoma City home
The seizure included 470 birds, 49 dogs, cats, a horse, and even a peacock. Rowe said the number of animals confiscated in a single day is likely historic.
“I don’t know what the number is, but I’m assuming this is probably our highest ever,” Rowe said.
With so many animals taken from the property, the city is urging residents to adopt pets from the shelter to make room for the new arrivals.
“We are already over capacity on our dogs. So, we have a free, not free, but a name your price event right now where we need. We need the system to show up, come out and have some pets,” Rowe said.
The animals seized during the drug bust remain part of the evidence, but the shelter needs to clear space for them by finding homes for other animals.
“We need people to adopt pets. Very critical need of that right now. And again, you can name your own price right now. So that’s, that’s a very good benefit for you,” Rowe said.
The shelter’s “name your price” adoption event will continue through July 3. Adoption hours are noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter